The installation is a fusion of Mars imagery, light and surround sound composition. Presented with a new soundtrack for the first time at Kensington and Chelsea Festival, I hope that visitors will feel transported to its inhospitable desert wasteland, whilst also being faced to contemplate the bleak realities of war on our planet.” Luke Jerram “Mars: War & Peace follows on from my other touring astronomical artworks Museum of the Moon and Gaia, allowing a close encounter with the Martian planet. This new soundtrack allows viewers the opportunity to reflect on the current conflict in Ukraine and the history and notion of war. Featuring the sounds of seas, deserts and clips from NASA missions to Mars, it also incorporates the sounds of distant bombing and people marching, as if to war.

Accompanying the Mars sculpture is a specially created sound composition by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award winning composer Dan Jones. Mars was named by the ancient Romans for their god of war because its reddish colour was reminiscent of blood. We are transported to this desert wasteland, to imagine what it’s like to step foot on this incredible planet and in comparison, really value our life on Earth. Every valley, crater, volcano and mountain are laid bare for us to inspect. The artwork allows us to view Mars from the air, as though we are a satellite mapping and studying the surface in perfect detail. At an approximate scale of 1:1 million, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 10 kilometres of the surface of Mars. Measuring seven metres in diameter, the artwork features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery* of the Martian surface. Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 August - Pop along to Jubilee Square to hear free outdoor classical music concerts at 1pm and 3pm both days whilst viewing Mars: War & Peace. If you are someone who likes to have a ticket in your hand, please do book using the link however this is a free, open access site. At other times, you can create your own intimate moment as the soundscape can be accessed via a QR code at the site at other times in the day and night.

For these reasons, there will only be one show with sound at 7 pm each night. The site will open at 8am and close at 11pm. This piece is presented in this location from Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 August and is free to attend. This listing is for the third run which is outdoors at Jubilee Square, Kensington Town Hall. There are three sites for Mars: War & Peace in Kensington and Chelsea. Mars: War & Peace, a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram.

War and Peace free instal